Locomotive control throttle handle



1951 L. J. CHARLES ET AL LOCOMOTIVE CONTROL THROTTLE HANDLE Filed Sept. 24, 1947 INVENTORS Louls J. CHARLES 27 36 FIG. 2 JAMES E. JusTus BY M d M ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1351 2,540,427 LOCOMOT V CONTROL THRQTTLEHANDLE; Louis .I.v Charles a-ndrJ'ames E Justus; Beloinwie,

assignors: to FairbankslMorse--& 60;, Chicago, Ill-.1 a: corporation oflllinois:

Application September 24, 19,457; Serial No.1 775L888;

locomotives has introduced certain problems in the arrangement of'controls such that an en-- gineer long accustomed" to thecon-trols of the steam locomotive frequently experiences diflrcultywhen confronted with the controls usually found in the-Diesel-electries locomotives;

' Theamostimportant problem; and one which directlyafi'ects the safeoperation of the-loco motive for the protectionof passengers-and the trainsjgenerally; involvesthe arrangement and operation of the throttle lever. In the-oldersteam- 1 locomotives, the throttle lever was arranged such: that its forward motion reduced speed and its rearward i motion increased 7 speed,

andifor reversing the direction of locomotive movement-the engineer was reqnired to shift a separate reversing I lever which did not alter the above: described throttle lever motion. Thus a uniformrmotion' of the throttlelever was estab'-' lishedjfor. either direction-ofmovement of the" locomotive. This same uniform throttle lever motion has not; been :foll'owedin the Diesel-cloc trio; locomotive practice with the result that it haszbjeen, dimoult to overcome-the long standing hahityof thex,steam:" engineers when transferred-- to: thevlliesel-el'ectrio locomotives; In this eon-- nection'; it should: be; noted that the latterloco-- motiresxaregenerally provided with the-throttlelever: arranged. to. move-in either direction from neutral, position, and: that the: direction of movement from this neutral. position is utilized-1 to determine the direction of locomotive move- Ill-12117? and; also; the: speed of such movement.

This; is; arfundamentallydifferent. throttle lever motion. and-one which has-.-caused-' considerable confusion, amongthe. steam engineerswho have been; transferred: to, Diesel electrio locomotives; Accordingly, itis.: a. principal aim and: object oi'the. present invention to provide control means for determining:- thewmotion of the throttle lever such-that: the-longstanding practice. in the; steam locomotivefield may beadhered: to with: only:

slight differences: whereby confusionv among: steam engineers will'berobviatedito the greater safety 1 ofall concerned,

accompanying, drawing, wherein:

to improvements in con-'- (Cl. Ti -49 1') 211 Fig: l: is aiperspectiveview of the-usual throttle lever and -therpanelamountedbontrol means. for: determiningttlie; motion of the leverraccording; to therpreferred practice hereinab'ove stated-1 In Fig; afragmentary-elevational view 'partly irrsection', of the throttlelever, controlimeans'i andthe mechanism employed"for--'eireoting"bothspeed and direction of motion relay devices'or" servo-motors and" V Fig. 3' is a fragmentary plan-viewera portion: of the assembly-as-seen at' l-ine"3"3 in Fig; 2.

In the drawing, the preferred control means" forthe"throttlelever I comprises a housing" 1 structure I I suitably mounted'orr acontrol panel; 155- I2 to extend forward-Ty of tho'fltont face" of the panelEto-a position of prominence in the-"general area of the engineers station; The" throttle:

housing-II isformed 'with an arcuate frontwall,

I'3 in which a slotted" aperture is" provided: to: permit outward extensionof the throttle I-UJ' In its preferred' form, the slot wall I3; is; givena LI -shaped configurationin-wh-iolf the-leg: portions I4 and M of the' slot extend a gen erallyhorizontal direction and to--one sideof 26 the base or interconnecting slot portion F631 Thus; the throttle levenmotionis positively'conafined to movement: vertically in I the slot portion I6 and to horizontal motion in' either of'the elongate-slot portions:- W or ISE Itis also important to I observe 1 that" the throttle motion' in slot por tions' I4 'and I5 is"always-=in=the-samedirection-'- or sense relative to.- th'eslot' portion Hit A further-' feature of the throttle lever con'--- trol housing I I is-fonnd in the provision ofa re 0 cessedzone I1-Lintermediate the ends of the slot portion t6? and theprovision of" 'a similar re cessed zone I8- in' slot portion: IglI a-nd recessed"; zone I9 inslot-portionfi. In a-control housing of this type it is here preferredthat the slotportion lfibe' uti-lizedito-guidewthe lever' I-Ilii-n itsv movement to select thedi-rection; of locomotive:v travel, as forward (an-reverse: Thus; the recessed" zone I 1 thereof becomes the neutral posit-iorr'for the lever'andth-is position ean be found easily l and: with" little or need for "visual ob'servanse i during its movement:- The-recessedzones I'8--"and r l9 in slot-- portions It and: I5=- respectively are: spaced ifrorn :the slot portion IS a distance which,

is determinedby -th'e necessaryresponse of' the" speed: control relay withoutincrease-ofiengine: speed above its "normal idling-condition: this: manner, the motionof the lever tiliromitsneutral recess-I1 in slot portion it into *eith'erofjthe recesses I 8 or" I9 F Will not afiect the idling-speed 551 of: the engine; but the'direction of travel relays ferred that the throttle lever Ill be moved rearwardly in slots H or l5 for increase of speed.

The hereindescribed relay system which is responsive to throttle motion forms no part of the present invention except as it may serve to illustrate more clearly the preferred nature and controlling effect of the slotted housing structure I I. While the latter housing structure is shown in its presently preferred form, it should be understood that the spirit and scope of the invention is to be limited only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a locomotive throttle control, the combination of a throttle housing structure having a wall provided with a first slot of uniform width throughout its length, and a pair of slots opening from said first slot and directed in parallel relationship, each of said pair of slots having a width equal to the width of said first slot and further beingmarginally grooved to provide a channel therealong having a width appreciably greater than the adjacent slot, a throttle rod projecting through said housing wall for movement in said slots, a throttle handle displaceably carried by said rod, a follower element fixed to said handle and sleeved on said rod, said follower element having a first portion adapted to move in said slots of uniform width forguiding the throttle rod therealong, and a second portion adapted to move in said slot channels, and spring means 0peratively positioned between said rod and handle for urging the latter in a direction to maintain said follower element in working engagement selectively in said slots and channels, said second follower portion, when engaged in either of said pair of slot channels under the urging of said spring means, acting to prevent throttle movelected slot channel whereby the throttle rod may be moved into said first sl0t-for guidance therein by the working engagement of said first follower portion in said first slot.

2. The combination as defined in claim 2, and further characterized in that said follower element is provided with a first portion of a uniform dimension to move in said slots with a close working fit and a second portion of an increased and uniform dimension to move in said slot channels with a close working fit, and said spring means urges said handle at all times toward the wall of said housing structure whereby to maintain said second portion of the follower element in frictional engagement against the marginal zones of said slots to retain the throttle rod in its selected position.

LOUIS J. CHARLES. JAMES E. JUSTUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of ,record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,329,742 Bush et a1 Sept. 21, 1943 2,438,410 May Mar. 23, 1948 

